Trick or Treat

It was the twins 3rd Halloween!!!! They enjoyed it very much and have already eaten all their candy!
We had a little pumpkin painting playdate with our friends! All our pumpkins turned out great!



Then we carved our own pumpkin! Zoey played in the pumpkin "guts" for an hour. Zach wanted nothing to do with getting his hands dirty!

I know this is a BAD picture but this is what Zach was doing while we carved the pumpkin! Drawing.


And the finished product!!Of course we made the rounds and got LOTS of candy!!!! The kids wouldn't say "Trick or Treat" but they were starting to get the hang of it toward the end! It was very cute and we all had lots of fun!!! Zoey was a dinosaur and Zach, what else but Mr. Incredible!

Again another blurry picture...i gotta figure out this camera.



After the kids were done and put to bed, Jeff and I got to go out for a while, thanks to my mom and Denis! Thanks guys!!!

Cooler weather is here!!!!

The kids are growing up so fast, I don't even have time to keep up with the blog as much as I would like to!
We haven't been doing as much as normal lately. The weather just got nice enough to hit the park, but the Swine flu has also invaded our town, so we are staying home alot. We haven't gotten a flu shot so we are being cautions. We did make it to the park before the flu got so bad. Zach runs around and plays on all the toy and has a blast all by himself. Zoey on the other hand needs mommy to do everything with her so I run around and climb on the toys and slide with her. It's good for my physique but boy do I need a nap after a day the park with these kids!

The twin like to dress up now. Zach is always Mr. Incredible or Buzz Lightyear or Woody. Zoey likes to wear her Abby Cadabby dress (it's not really an Abby dress but that's how I got her to like it and wear it).


Here's a few pics of Zoey! She is starting to like having her picture taken.

Singing our ABC's

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The kids have been doing a lot of singing. I got it on video. It's really cute how different they sing. I am not even sure someone else would know Zach is singing the ABC song. He kinda just yells, but its cute. Zoey sings everything and is getting really good at it. I like to say Zoey is the dancer and singer and Zach is the actor.

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We went to Native New Yorker with the kids to watch the Broncos game on Sunday since we couldn't watch it at home. It was fun and we all wore our Broncos gear. The kids did pretty good for just sitting and watching the game. They did get to run around a little but we had to leave at half time because they were ready to get outta there by then. Jeff will be heading to San Diego in he next couple of weeks to hang out with his brothers and go to the Broncos vs. Chargers game on Monday night! The means I get to watch girly movies and pig out on popcorn all weekend!!!! Can you tell I am really looking forward to these girly movies! :)


































The holidays are approaching fast and I am sure we will busy as always. For Halloween Zoey picked out a dinosaur costume and Zach picked out Mr Incredible. As for Jeff and I, we don't know yet. I wanted to be Alice from Alice in Wonderland but the costume I got didn't fit. So I might be a clown or Betty Boop. Of course I will update the blog after Halloween and let you all in on how much fun we had!!!!


Not much has been going on lately. We are busy with potty training (kindof) and trying to keep cool. Its October and we just broke a record high of 107 a couple of days ago. I was hoping to get some relief and get outside. This stuffy house is driving me batty! But the high 80's are in this weeks forecast!!!! I foresee the Zoo in our weekend activities!

And on a sad note.....our cat Foxy went outside a few weeks ago and never came back. I am very sad about this. She was a great cat and will be missed.

Now a happy note.......Bananas (our other cat) is great! She is great with the kids and one of the best cat's I've ever had! We add fish to our family. First we got 6, they all died. Then we got 4 and 2 died. Zoey thought she would help out and feed them for me, with half the container of food. I think they just couldn't handle that much food. But 2 of them held on and I am trying my hardest to keep them alive for at least a little while!!! Yes, I put the food up so Zoey can't get to it! :)

Things are good for the Gengler family! We are going to do some house projects this fall when it cools off and make this place even more of a home and hopefully add some storage!!!

A sparkling 4th of July

WOW, it's been since April since I updated. Sorry!!! We've been kinda busy. Zoey and Zach keep me on my toes!

We had a great 4th of July in Prescott with my mom and stepdad, who's birthday happens to be the 4th of July. It rained for part of trip. Which was more then welcome by us. It's been 110 here in Phoenix for over 3 weeks. UGH!
The kids loved the rain and played in it!


Grandma Cindy bought the kids "Big Kid" beds!!! They enjoyed them but they didn't sleep in them too well...they both ended up on the floor half way thru the night.




Zoey had taken up a new hobby....photorgaphy! She doesn't do so bad for a 2 1/2 year old....here is some of her work!


Zoey loves painting, coloring, taking pictures and singing! I think she will be an artist or something along those lines some day!


While at grandmas, the kids found the doggie door and loved going in and out it.....I didn't get a pic of Zach doing it but I did Zoey.....


Zach is just in LOVE with the movie Cars and all his little Cars diecast cars. He takes all of them to bed with him and won't let Zoey play with any of them! Typical boy!






All is well in the Gengler house. Jeff will be heading to Dallas next week for a couple of days. Then we will be heading to San Diego at the end of July. I can't wait to take the kids to the beach!
After that hopefully we can spend some time at home and relax. I feel like we have been going going for the past few months. Don't get me wrong, I love vacations and visiting family and friends but it's time for a little break!

So far April has been.......

Easter 2009

Oh where do I start? I guess with the wind.....It's been pretty windy her in AZ the past month. It's like the old saying goes....In like a lion out like a lamb. I sure hope this month goes out like a lamb because it sure roared in like a lion.
I took Zoey to the urgent care a couple of weeks ago for a 104 temp. It scared me pretty bad. Turned out to be an ear infection. We got antibiotics and struggled at first to take them. But I found a good way to get her to choke it down. I mixed it will her juice and called it a "treat" and gave her the big girl cup and a straw. She loved it! Easy enough....all done and good with the antibiotics no more ear infection. But the day after the last dose of antibiotics her and Zach caught a cold. Zach was pretty much OK, just a runny nose and some sleepiness. But poor Zoey Beth got a horrible cough and congestion. Then Jeff and I both got it and I ended up at the doctor to find I had a sinus infection. So it was my turn for antibiotics. UGH. I hate that stuff. Zach got over his cold quickly and was back to normal within 3 days. Zoey was still coughing hard 10 days later.??? She got a fever almost every other day so I took her back to the doctor. ANOTHER ear infection. Poor thing....More antibiotics for her :( I think we are on the up and with the wind calming down I think we may be done with ear infections for now. Knock on wood.....
Since we had been cooped up in the house for 2 weeks, we were all dying to get out and get some fresh air. It was a beautiful day, a little chilly, around 70, but still no wind. So we went to the park. It was all fun and games until Zoey missed her step and did a face plant onto the step. Ouck! She knocked her bottom tooth loose and it was bleeding and she was crying. I was almost in panic mode but thanks to Jeff's cousin, Stacey, we got her to the dentist. Zoey hates the doctor so I knew she was going to hate the dentist too and sure enough she did.....We got an xray and luckily it wasn't broken so we don't have to have it pulled but it will probably fall out her in a few weeks. :( My poor little Zoey. She is such a tough little girl! She is doing fine now and the tooth doesn't seem to bother her at all. Thank goodness!

Today, I needed to do some shopping for a dress for a wedding we are going to next weekend. So I was off to the mall with out the kids! That is a rarity for me and I was ecstatic. I had a little trouble finding a dress. So I gave up and did some other shopping. I was a Barnes and Noble checking out some books and put down my stuff and sat on the floor...like everyone else in the store.....when I got up to leave I must have drooped my phone and not noticed until I got to my car and wanted to use it. I raced back in the store and it wasn't there. It's obvious someone stole it because I called it and it was turned off and no one had turned it in. UGH! I can't live without that phone. Total bummer on my day and I still didn't have a dress. I ran into Ross and grabbed pretty much the first thing I saw and ran out and raced home. Ha. What a joke...there was an accident on the I-10 and I was stuck in traffic with no phone! 1.5 hours later I was home. I have never been so happy to see my family. After what was supposed to be a much needed relaxing day of shopping turned into one of the worst times at the mall I've ever had and if you know me you know any day is a good day if your at the mall!

So, contact Jeff until further notice if you need me!

Oh, there was a good part of today. Zoey started dance class today. She is very timid and sat on my lap the whole time but I think she will open up to it. She needs this time away from Zach. The whole time we were driving to the class he kept asking "Where's Zacky?" The whole time we were in with the dentist on Thursday she was crying for Zacky. They need some separation and some alone time with mommy and daddy. I was unable to enroll Zach in the Tiny Tots Sports because the class was full so he and Jeff play basketball while Zoey and I go to dance class!

Dancing and Basketball, and little learning too!

Today was a nice March Madness day in the Gengler house! It has been really warm here lately and we have been taking advantage of the nice weather but today we stayed in(it was really windy out) and watch basketball and played and danced. Although I did get to get out for a few hours alone and do some shopping! My favorite past time!
Zoey has been singing, as I told you in my last blog, and now Zach is starting to sing too! Zoey will say "Comon' Zach Hot Dog Dance". That's a mouth full for her age! She tells me to dance too, and before you know it all 4 of us are dancing. But don't worry, you don't have to see me or Jeff do the Hot Dog Dance. I'll leave the movies to the kids! Ha!
Check out the video of the kids dancing to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Dog Dance song.



Zoey has really been counting well. She can't tell me the numbers when I hold them up to her, she leave some spotlight for Zach, but she will count things! She doesn't always get it all right but she sure tries. These videos are cute of her counting and making dad help her!

We've been busy

I know, I know....It's been a while since we updated our blog! But we've been busy!
The last part of February Jeff traveled to Dallas, TX for work for 3 days and then he worked 12 hour days in order to finish a project for a customer only to be rewarded with a furlong. A furlong is unpaid vacation. So he had to take 1 week unpaid vacation time. So you are wondering why we haven't updated the blog since Jeff has been on "vacation" for a week....Ha...I ask myself that too.
Jeff's mom, Johanna, came to visit last week. It was a very pleasant visit. We took the kids to a park in Chandler called Desert Breeze Park. It's a really cool park! It has a lake, playground equipment, and a really working "mini" train.


As you may know the kids are really really into trains right now. Zach takes his trains to bed with him and lines them up at eye level with him. I guess he likes to wake up and see them! It's really cute but we have had to limit the amount of trains he takes to bed with him or he will get all 12 or so in there and have no place for himself! Ha. His favorite train is Percy, from Thomas and Friends. I don't know why but he really likes Percy. Zoey doesn't have a favorite but she knows that Rosie is hers because it's purple. She doesn't care to take them to bed with her. She has her own snuggles. Her 2 blankets, her Elmo pillow, and her stuffed kitty cat.
So anyway...back to the park......They also have a carousel and some other ride on toys.


The kids really enjoyed riding the train. At first Zoey held my arms around tight...but she got comfy and enjoyed looking at the ducks and waiving to the people we passed. Zoey is very timid at first and her little brother always has to show her things are fun. For example, the carousel, she really didn't wanna ride it but she saw Zachy doing it and had to, but she didn't get on the animals, Jeff rode with her in the seat part. Zach on the other hand, loves the carousel. He has ridden it at the Zoo and was all excited to ride this time. He rode with Jeff first and was letting go to waive at grandma and I. It was precious! Then Zoey wanted to go and Zach just couldn't let her have all the fun, so I rode with him this time. Oh how it's so easy to be a child. I wish I was that easily pleased!

The weather was so nice we just couldn't stay indoors. We went to the children's play area here in our subdivision and fed the ducks and played with some tweens basketballs. It was a lot of fun just being outside with the family.

Summer is approaching us quickly and we are taking advantage of the nice weather while we can before we are locked inside for 9 months! We are planning to visit the Zoo ALOT this spring and even summer. We purchased a membership so we can go anytime we want without breaking the bank and getting blisters in the summer.

Zoey is speaking REALLY well for her age. She talks all day long! She sings her abc's and a few other songs, like Elmo's theme song and a song that her Grandma Cindy made up for her. It is really cute to listen to her sing and watch her dance. I will be enrolling her in a Mommy and Me Dance class this spring. The class lasts 7 weeks and they teach them basic songs and dance. I get to be there with her, which is great for Zoey because, like I said, she is timid and I don't think she would do well with a bunch of strangers and no mommy or Zachy! Zoey loves to do puzzles. This seems to be one of the only things I can say she likes to do. She likes to do everything but nothing holds her attention too long. She still loves to read, which is really great! I have been putting together Easter baskets for the kids and of course Zach's is all Thomas the tank engine, but Zoey, I can't quite figure out one thing she just LOVES. So I am getting her lots of different things like Disney Princess, Mickey Mouse, and Elmo, and anything ABC and 123.
As far as Zoey's growth goes, she is also doing good. She is 24lbs and 33 inches tall. She is in the 25th% for her weight and 50th% for her height. I always knew she would be tall! She was 1/4 of inch taller then Zach at our last appointment. She eats like crazy and runs like it too! Her little smile and laugh make my heart melt every time I see or hear them!


Zach, oh, Zach! He is definitely in the terrible two stage! UGH!!!!! Zach loves his trains and god forbid if Zoey wants to play with one, just one. He throws a fit and graciously throws himself on the floor! Ha! It's actually very cute but I don't let him know that! He loves to watch TV, which I don't like. He could sit, or stand there all day in a trance if I let him. So I am grateful he has his trains that he loves so much. Zach is working on 2 word sentences. He is doing pretty well and he will tell you a whole story and never say a word you understand but he is trying! He knows almost every letter in the alphabet. I think he struggles with E and K. He knows a few numbers 4, 5 and 9. He is your typical boy, wherever there's dirt he will find it, and eat it! Zach is my picky eater and I struggle with finding things he will eat everyday. But he loves his milk so we are doing ok. Zach weighed 25lbs and was 33 inches tall at our last appointment. The doctor keeps saying he will only be about 5'9" tall but I just don't believe it. Oh well if he is....he has an arm on him like no other. He's going to be our little quarterback or pitcher! I plan on enrolling him in Tiny Tots sports this spring. This will teach him the basics of T-bal, Soccer and Basketball. I think it will be good for the twins to have some separate activities and start being Zach and Zoey instead of the twins!


Keep reading...there's more.....

So you might be thinking......What is Tera up to? Well as you can tell, my lovely family keeps me busy and happy, but I have been doing a thing or two! I have been selling alot of stuff on eBay. I am in a nesting phase, no I am not with child, I guess you could say I am just a natural nester! I can't stand things being cluttered and unorganized. When things are cluttered an unorganized I feel anxious and scatterbrained so I am trying to get back to feeling calm and sane again! I sell all sorts of things, clothes, both mine and the kids, video games, and the kids toys. I have made quite a bit of money over the past several months. I use the money I make to buy us new clothes and toys! It works out great for me! I get this crap out of my cluttered and unorganized house, I am not bored and I make money for new things! It's very full filling. I have also been doing a lot of thinking and searching about what I will do after the children go to school. I know it's a few years away but I am at a point where I feel I have lost who Tera is. I love my children and I wouldn't ever give up the opportunity to raise them and teach them myself but what I don't love is not feeling stimulated. My children keep me very busy and there is nothing more fulfilling then knowing I taught them something today. At the end of the day when they are sleeping soundly in their beds, I still feel a need for more! Call me crazy, and I very well may be, but I am going back to school! Yes, you heard me, school! I am going to work on my Masters in Accountancy. I am not sure where or when, but I am still weighing all the options. I want to do something I truly love doing and I hope to do it for the rest of my life. I have always loved this type of work and I know I will enjoy it and feel even more fulfilled then I already am.
Jeff built a planter in the back yard and I planted some flowers in it yesterday. Here's a picture...


Here are a few more pictures of the kids....and until next time......

Zoey was smelling the flowers, she just didn't have the flower up to her nose.



Zach playing on the broken lawnmower.......